When you are starting down the road of health and fitness or a new business venture, it can be so easy to be motivated and inspired. It is easy to get up in the morning and get to work whether it is writing, prospecting, prepping food, or getting to the gym.

But, we all know full well that the day will come, and it WILL come when life gets in the way. What will you do when life is hard and the motivation is waning?

It is then that it is so important to know your WHY.

What is your WHY?

Your WHY is the reason that you are starting this journey. It is the deep down reason that stirs within your soul. I like to ask people, “What is the WHY that makes you CRY?”

Did you doctor say you are one heart attack away from the grave?

Do you want to improve your health so you can expand your little family?

Do you want to be home more with your growing-too-fast kids?

Do you want to grow old with your soul mate?

Or do you just want to feel better in body and mind?

Whatever the case is for YOU, there is a process you can follow to help you find your WHY.

It is called the ‘5 Why’s.’

This is a very simple but very effective exercise for getting to the root of WHY you want something.

When you want to accomplish something (or if something goes wrong), you ask one why.

Why do I want to accomplish this?

Write down your answer to the first question in your journal.

Then ask yourself WHY again?

And so on, five times.

Here’s an example from a past journal entry of my own:

Why am I on this journey?I want to lose fat.

Why do I want to lose fat?Because I want to fit into a smaller size of pants.

Why do I want to fit into a smaller size of pants?Because when I’m wearing smaller pants, I think I’ll look better.

But why do I want to look better?Because when I look good, I feel good about myself.

But why do I want to feel good about myself?Because when I feel good about myself, I am a better Mom and Wife.

But why do I want to be a better Mom and Wife?Because when son and husband are my world and they deserve so much more than a depressed Mom and Wife who just wants to stay in bed all day.

See how that works? Once you have found the most important reason, your WHY, for doing something you will have it on the days when you need to be reminded so you can keep going.